Old Red Wine
by 263Adder
Summary: Chloe finds out about Lucifer and Pierce's secret investigation into 'sinner man', amongst other things...
1. Stone Cold Sober

Story title song by The Who, chapter song by Paloma Faith. This was going to be one long chapter but it made more sense to divide it into two chapters as there's a change in POV. Expect the second part tomorrow, it's all written it just needs proofreading!

/ / /

Chloe was...concerned.

If she mentioned it to Lucifer he would probably call it paranoia but, given his past track record, Chloe was feeling a little more on edge than usual as Lucifer started to act...weird.

He was distracted on cases, not wasting time with his usual antics. The other day a case he usually would have dragged out for at least a few hours he wrapped up in ten minutes, when he pointed to the witness of their murder and had him confessing in seconds with that weird mind voodoo of his.

At first Chloe thought it was to do with his own personal stuff - being kidnapped must have taken a toll. His agitation seemed to be proof. But after a while she noticed that it wasn't that Lucifer was agitated when she saw him, it was because he saw her.

As soon as a case was wrapped up he would be off, yet his absences weren't for the usual reasons - partying at Lux, having orgies, getting drunk, or marrying exotic dancers. Chloe caught him at the precinct more than once, talking to Ella, Pierce, even once to Dan. Yet as soon as he noticed her he would practically evaporate into thin air.

Obviously he was up to something. Something he didn't want her to know about. And his trips to the precinct suggested it was something crime related. But if it was why wouldn't he tell her about it - they were meant to be partners.

The question had Chloe frowning into her morning coffee as she sat at her kitchen counter. She tried to think back to when things had been relatively normal. Which was probably after his kidnapping, as weird as it was to think of that being normal.

He'd promised to tell her the truth - and instead he'd just pulled faces at her. That couldn't have been what was making him weird - if anyone was going to be avoided after that it would be Chloe avoiding him.

God, Lucifer could be so... with a grumble, Chloe set that memory aside and tried to focus on what else happened.

"That was a big sigh, Decker." Maze said, settling in and pulling the breakfast Chloe had made towards her. "Whatever it is, I bet it's nothing that couldn't be solved by a good 'ride in the hay'." She finished, her fingers rising to make quotation marks.

After some stern talks Maze had learned to be more child friendly with her language. Her constant comments on Chloe's sex life, or lack thereof, had gotten less crude since she'd moved in. Although Maze didn't seem ready to give up on getting Chloe laid.

"Morning." Chloe replied, stubbornly ignoring the comment and instead favouring to take another long sip of her coffee.

"You taking Trixie somewhere?" Maze asked, eyeing up Chloe's drab outfit.

"Yeah, I'm taking her to the zoo."

"Hmm." Mazikeen tore into her breakfast while she continued to look at Chloe. After a few minutes she started to fidget under the scrutiny.

"What?"

"You have that look."

"What look?" Chloe asked defensively.

"That look you get when you're on a case. Like you're trying to figure something out."

Catching herself before she said something petulant, Chloe took another drink only to find her cup disappointingly empty.

"Except you're not on a case." Maze continued, tearing off another bite of her food as Chloe swivelled off her stool and headed for the coffee machine.

"So what is it that has Detective Decker all huffy on a Saturday morning. Does it happen to start with 'L' and end in 'ucifer'?" She smirked as Chloe turned back to her, refilled cup in hand.

"What happened to my roommate who didn't care about my day, my life, or my feelings?" Chloe asked dryly.

"Your roommate happens to be getting tired of you huffing and puffing like some sex deprived octogenarian struggling to get up the stairs. If you're hot for Lucifer's chilli, just go over there and drop your nana rags on the floor. He'll think his birthday came early."

Chloe huffed.

"Urgh," Maze groaned far too loudly, "you're doing it again! Just bone already!"

"I am not," Chloe replied indignantly, "hot for Lucifer's chilli - and by the way, what does that even mean?"

"Okay, the fact that you have Trixie is proof enough that I don't need to answer that question and that you're not actually a nun. But come on, Decker. Loosen up!"

Chloe scowled. "I am not huffing because I want to have sex with Lucifer."

"Sure you aren't." Maze said, stuffing the rest of her food into her mouth before hopping up. "Well, if you want any advice on what he likes in bed, you know where I am."

Leaving her plate on the counter Maze passed Chloe to get to her room, winking at her as she went.

At least she wasn't slapping her ass again, Chloe thought wryly as she heard Maze's door shut behind her.

Which brought up the memory of when she actually did try to have sex with Lucifer - the sober time at least - and slapped his ass. God, what had she been thinking. Of all the unstable, immature, egotistical, persistent...

Persistent.

Chloe paused, something finally snapping into place.

Lucifer didn't give up. He nagged and pestered and hinted until he got what he wanted. That was what had changed. Lucifer didn't give up - so why hadn't he brought the 'sinner man' up since their last conversation? He always nagged and pestered and hinted until they were investigating whatever it was Lucifer wanted to pursue - and in the end one of them always nearly died. That was - worryingly - their norm.

He said he would keep looking into the 'sinner man' until he got a lead so she would have to investigate.

But, if that was what he was doing at the precinct, why wasn't he telling her what his leads were - and why would he be talking to everyone else about it but not her?

Chloe rubbed her temple in frustration. Every time she felt like she was making progress with Lucifer something sent her two steps back. And it was usually him.

Their 'relationship', his past, his secrets - every time Chloe felt she was getting closer, to him and the truth, he would knock over the board and make them play again.

And dammit if she wasn't getting tired of it all. Of the lies, of having to pretend that his marriage didn't hurt, that him burping in her face just when she'd started to think he was going to level with her once and for all didn't crush her...her entire partnership with Lucifer was exhausting.

Her phone pinged and her eyes broke from their unfocused stare at the floor.

Honestly, if that was Pierce offering her a new case she had half the mind to go alone and see how Lucifer liked being the one left behind for a...

Glancing at the screen, Chloe quickly grabbed her purse and jacket before darting out of the kitchen into Maze's room.

/ / /

I feel Chloe is overdue an outburst after Lucifer's "marriage" to Candy. I wanted to post this before the next episode aired (and we don't get it until Tuesday in the UK so please no spoilers!). Kind comments are always nice - goodnight!  
Oh and the whole "hot for chilli" is a line from Cheers if you found it weird :D 


	2. Drinking

Title song by Boa. Chloe arrives at Lux, Lucifer's POV. This ended up longer than expected. Also some of you might think Chloe is a little too mad here, but I feel she deserves an outburst. I mean, Maze got one! Hope you enjoy :)

/ / /

"Lucifer!"

Right on time, Lucifer thought cheerfully as heard the elevator doors open and Chloe's dulcet tones bellowed through the apartment.

"Alright, Lucifer." She continued to call out. "What's the emergency?"

Lucifer, who was currently stood over a pan in the kitchen, quickly turned it down to simmer so he could greet his irritable Detective.

"Lucifer?"

Having received a text from Mazikeen this morning about the Detective's foul mood, which his demon had suggested was somehow his fault, Lucifer had quickly put together a plan to try and get back into her good graces.

"This better be important, it's my day off." Chloe continued to call out, although it sounded like she was getting closer.

Lucifer had already been tipped off to the Detective's bad temper yesterday by Ella, who seemed to have concerns over Lieutenant Pierce and his decision to keep Chloe in the dark in regards to their investigations into the sinner man.

Progress was slow, though a few new accomplices had been found. Although they were about as much help as the ones Lucifer broke down the other week.

As Pierce had suggested the case was kept between the two of them, though Ella had been brought into the know when Pierce needed her to analyse some evidence from the apartment they'd searched. Evidentially Ella seemed to think Chloe would be "really cheesed" when she found out that Lucifer had taken on a case without her.

Honestly, Pierce's deductions were perfectly reasonable and Lucifer had explained them to Ella. Chloe's family had already been hurt by the Malcolm debacle, and that pathetic human had held the danger of a field mouse when compared to whatever deity had managed to restore Lucifer's wings. Which, he thought bitterly, still had a tendency to pop out at inopportune times.

Ella had still seemed unimpressed by the plan, muttering something about partners and secrets that he'd shut his ears to.

It was for the best. But even he had to admit that his behaviour was becoming erratic when Detective Douche had cornered him at the station yesterday and asked why he was being "all weird". Ever the eloquent conversationalist.

Nevertheless, he knew if Daniel had found his secretive behaviour suspicious, Chloe would be on the same path. He just needed to spend some time around her, act normally and throw her off the trail before she got herself into any unnecessary danger.

"Lucifer?" Chloe called out, starting to sound worried as he headed to meet her.

"Hello, Detective." Lucifer said in as bright a manner as he could manage. His protective instincts towards his partner still troubled him, and despite Linda's cajoling, he was not yet ready to accept the plausibility that there was a deeper emotion at play there than the ones he had already experienced.

Partners kept each other safe, that was it. It was no different than when Chloe had tried to meet Malcolm alone. Although that may have had more to do with Beatrice's safety than his own, he amended wryly.

Chloe met his eyes with instant suspicion after she looked him over. Evidently Ella and Mazikeen were right.

Holding up her phone, Chloe said in an unimpressed tone, "You texted me. Said it was important. 911..."

"Yes. Absolutely." Lucifer replied. "Come with me."

Feeling her follow behind him, Lucifer led her into the kitchen and gestured at the food laden table.

"What the hell is this?" Chloe asked as Lucifer headed back towards the cooker and served up the paella.

"Lunch." He explained simply, a grin stretching across his face. "Very important meal. Not as important as breakfast however, though I'm sure a deal can be made were I make that for you as well." He added, unable to resist the insinuation. There was nothing he lo-liked, liked, more than a flustered Detective.

"I went for a Spanish theme." Lucifer said.

"You said it was an emergency." Chloe said through gritted teeth.

"I thought you might want to celebrate my freedom. Although given you didn't even notice I was missing in the first place..."

"You disappear all the time." She grated out.

"...but that's water under the bridge." Lucifer finished, pulling out a chair for her.

"You said it was an emergency. I had to beg Maze to look after Trixie. I had to promise to do her laundry for a week!" Chloe snapped indignantly.

Lucifer shrugged. "Ship it to the drycleaners and send me the bill."

Chloe glanced at the chair before wheeling on him. "I am not having lunch with you."

"Why not?"

"Believe it or not Lucifer, I have plans. Which is something you would have known if you had asked me here like a normal human being, instead of tricking me."

Lucifer nearly picked on the 'normal human' part of the Detective's statement, but given his Devil face still wasn't cooperating, chose to avoid it. "Plans doing what?"

"With Trixie. My daughter."

"Yes, I'm well aware who Beatrice is. Can't she spare you for a few hours, you see her every day."

"I see you every day too."

"Touché."

"Ugh." Chloe fumed, darting out of the kitchen leaving Lucifer to blindly follow.

"You don't need to worry about Beatrice. Mazikeen knew full well you were coming here, in fact she even suggested it."

Lucifer blinked in confusion as Chloe turned to him with a worried expression flittering across her face.

"She what?"

"She sent me a text a short while ago saying that you were unhappy and recommended that I do something to change that."

Chloe stayed quiet and Lucifer was left unsure of what to do. After a second he rooted in his pocket and pulled up the text.

Flashing the screen at her he said, "Look. This is what she said - 'Decker in the dumps, cheer up or I will kill her' - see."

Turning on her heel Chloe continued to stride through the apartment.

"Detective." Lucifer called out, at a loss of what to do.

"I do not need you to cheer me up, Lucifer. I don't need cheering up full stop." She snapped back at him, stopping by the couch to pick up her things.

"Mazikeen seems to think so." Lucifer replied. "Look," he held up his phone again, "'in the dumps'."

"Yeah, because Maze is well known as the queen of empathy." Chloe huffed, roughly stuffing one arm into her jacket.

"Well clearly you are upset about something or you wouldn't be acting like this." He said, watching her wearily.

Chloe paused, one arm in her jacket with the other one bunched up and out of reach no matter how much she had grappled with it. "You know what. I-" her free hand raised to cradle her head, "I can't keep doing this with you, Lucifer."

"Doing what - having lunch?" Lucifer asked exasperatedly, dropping his phone on the couch.

"What were you doing at the precinct this week?" Chloe asked, steel in her eyes.

Damn.

"Well we had the Elrond case, and then the Olivera..."

"No - what were you doing at the precinct when we didn't have a case?" She ripped of her jacket and balled it up under her arm.

At least Lucifer no longer had to wonder if the Detective suspected anything. The question now was how to smooth over their partnership while still keeping Chloe off the case.

"You know, when you came in to see Pierce and Ella..." Chloe prompted.

"Just hanging out." Lucifer said as cheerfully as he could. "Shooting the breeze, getting down with the gang..."

Her lip trembled and she looked away from him. "You were on a case."

"Just because I was in the precinct doesn't mean..."

Chloe's eyes snapped up. "Go on. Tell me you're not investigating anything. You know for someone who once told me he never lies, you sure do have a problem with telling the truth."

"I don't..."

"You don't tell the truth, Lucifer. That's what you don't do." Chloe bit back. "You're investigating the sinner man aren't you? I said if you found anything concrete we could investigate him together, so why are you talking to Pierce and Ella about it but not me?"

"Detective." Lucifer implored. "Please. Pierce overheard us talking about the case and wanted to keep you off of it."

"And you suddenly decided that this was the time to start listening to what you're told to do?"

"He thought you should be kept away from it."

"Why?"

"Because of Beatrice, the sinner man has a pattern of targeting people by attacking the people close to them. After Malcolm we just thought that..."

"Don't drag Pierce into this, I'll talk to him later." Chloe interrupted, holding up a finger. "You made a decision not to tell me - because you wanted to keep Trixie safe?"

"Yes." Lucifer said, starting to feel relieved. Surely she couldn't hold that against him, he was being considerate of her situation by not placing her in danger.

"I cannot believe you."

"What?"

"You can't keep playing with me like this, Lucifer."

"Det..."

"I always take my family into...I would never..." Chloe struggled for words. "What the hell made you think you had the right to make any kind of decision like that for me?"

"I was acting in your best interest."

"I am the person who decides that, Lucifer. Not you. You have got to stop making these kind of decisions. I'm your partner but you're also meant to be mine."

"I am." Lucifer said indignantly.

"No. No you're not. You haven't been my partner for a long time. And I know you like to pretend that everything is fine between us but it isn't. And I can't pretend anymore. I just can't do it anymore."

"Detective..." He began, ready to smooth everything over. Hopefully the words would come to him as he spoke as right now he was coming up blank. Her reaction had taken him by surprise - it wasn't like he was expecting her to just drop the matter, but he didn't expect her to look so...so, sad.

Taking a shaky breath Chloe glanced around the room before looking at him again, almost like the sight of him was painful. Lucifer was decidedly at a loss. If only Linda was around to explain what was happening to him like she had with Maze.

"You," she started, "you really don't even know. You're not pretending you just don't know...you don't realise at all, do you?" Chloe laughed without humour. "And you have no idea how much worse that makes it."

Lucifer's blank expression evidently did nothing to improve her mood.

"God you don't! You don't know. And don't you dare," she held up a finger as his mouth opened, "make some religious, 'I'm the Devil', God's my Dad, don't say his name, bullshit comment."

Chloe's hand dropped back down and so did her anger. "Lucifer," her voice shook, "you keep hurting me. You do it all the time. And I can't...I can't take it anymore."

Lucifer could feel himself blanching and tried to even out his expression. "You're hurt because I'm investigating without you?"

As soon as he said it he knew it was the wrong thing to say, especially as it looked as if - had there been anything heavy to hand on that side of the room - it would currently be propelling itself towards his head.

"Sorry, I'm sorry! I just - ," he took a breath. "I would never try to hurt you."

"Well you must just have a natural talent for it." Chloe scoffed, brushing the hair from her face. She missed how Lucifer flinched.

"You - we. We were," her hands moved as she grappled for a word, "ugh, I don't know what we were. But you stood me up, and then you kept flirting, and so we kissed, I nearly died and you freaked out, left me - while I was still in the hospital - married a stripper, threw her in my face, divorced her, then we go back to working together - acting like nothing ever happened. And I don't even yell at you for it, because Candy points out my nearly dying upset you and I end up feeling bad for you. Even though I was the one who was abandoned. Then you call me out of the blue last week and promise to explain to me all the weird shit I've endured since meeting you, and all you do is burp in my face! And then you decide to betray me with the only part of our relationship we still have - work. You start investigating behind my back, and have the nerve to say you're doing it for my own good. And when someone points out that your actions are upsetting me, you just try to patch things up by making lunch, instead of actually talking about the problem. You do all of this, and then pretend that everything is okay. We are not okay!"

Lucifer had enough sense not to point out that Candy - in their little act anyway - was an exotic dancer. He could only imagine her reaction if he revealed she was actually an actress and it had all been a ploy to trick his mother, the goddess.

"And I always forgive you, even when you're really shitty to me. So you know what, Lucifer? You don't want to let me into your life - your secrets. Fine. I'm out. I'm done." Chloe heaved, like she was dropping a weight from her shoulders. "You can work with Pierce, you can work with whoever you like. But not with me. I can't do this anymore. I won't."

She turned back around and stormed through the room towards the elevator.

"Detective." Lucifer called after her but she didn't stop. He blinked as he thought of all those time's she'd just mentioned. Of course he knew that he'd hurt her. But for the first time he was scared that this wasn't one of those instances where he could just give her time.

"Don't go."

Chloe passed his piano, not slowing.

In a fit of what Lucifer could only describe as lunacy, he darted forward and gripped her wrist as it came up to push the button down.

"Don't go." He repeated.

Her head dropped to her chest as she exhaled slowly, half-heartedly pulling at his grasp. "Please, Lucifer. Don't make this harder than it already is, okay? Let me go."

"I can't."

"Sure you can. You do it all the time." Chloe snapped over her shoulder, not yet trying to extricate herself from his grasp. Maybe she didn't want to, he thought hopefully.

"I'll convince Pierce, of course I want to work with you, I just didn't want you to get hurt." Again.

"I know." She said sadly.

"So I'll talk to him tomorrow. No, I'll call him now."

"That's not it."

"Then..." Lucifer knew that wasn't only it. But it was the only thing he could fix.

Her voice was small when she finally spoke again. "I'm just - I'm tired of feeling like the only one in the dark."

Lucifer swallowed. He knew better than anyone what that was like. Lucifer's hand tightened around the Detective's wrist as he thought of the only solution. He couldn't. But if he didn't she might leave him. But how could he show her that side of him? She'd see him as an angel - not who he really was. The devil.

"I want to tell you what's happening, what has happened." Lucifer said, desperation colouring his voice. He flinched at the sound of it.

"I really did try to show you at the precinct. But something's happened to me, because of the kidnapping."

"Of course it has." She huffed.

She wasn't going to believe him. She was going to leave. Why hadn't he shown her all those months ago?

Because he was scared she would freak out and leave him he thought, answering his own question.

Now she was going to leave him even thinking that he was a normal human being. It didn't exactly suggest she would take the truth well. But right now, it was his only hope.

He felt Chloe stiffen as he dropped her hand so he could pull off his jacket, before pulling at the cuffs and top buttons of his shirt. When it was loose enough he yanked it off over his head.

"What are you doing?" Chloe hissed, glancing over shoulder before looking back at the elevator. She rocked on her feet, torn between pressing the button and leaving and seeing what the hell Lucifer was up to this time. "If this is another attempt to get me into bed, Lucifer I'm going to shoot you again."

"No tricks, Detective." Lucifer said, turning his back to her - slightly scared that she would leave when he didn't have an eye on her. "Look."

He heard a soft gasp and his eyes shut tightly as her hand met his shoulder.

"Your scars are gone." Chloe breathed. "When..."

"When I was kidnapped, Detective. When I woke up in that desert the scars were gone."

She frowned as she ran her hand over the smooth skin, quickly breaking their contact as she felt Lucifer tremble. "So - what? Your kidnappers gave you plastic surgery? Why wasn't it in your statement?"

"Because the reason why they are gone is not something mortals usually respond well to." He said, warily turning around.

Chloe rolled her eyes and groaned. "Oh right. I forgot. You're the devil. So - your Dad magically healed your back, huh?"

"Something like that."

The irritation in her face dropped and she looked him firmly in the eye, silently pleading him to trust her. "Please, Lucifer. Just tell me what is going on. I'm sick of being in the dark."

Lucifer squeezed his eyes shut for a moment, willing himself not to lose his nerve.

"I'm sorry." He said, his hands moving to her waist. Chloe's eyes widened with surprise and he could clearly see her warring with herself to pull away. Slowly, still not quite believing that he was doing this, he lowered himself down onto his knees never loosening his grip. "I never wanted to hurt you. I always knew that I was hurting you. But I'm going to show you now, and I hope that the truth will help to make things...better."

Lucifer looked into the wide blue eyes staring down at him. "They're still new. I've tried cutting them off a few times but they just grow back."

He took a shaky breath, moving his eyes to look at her stomach as he extended his wings.

He kept his eyes trained there for a few minutes, terrified to look up. He doubted she was as horrified as she would have been looking at his burnt face, but angel wings weren't exactly the norm either.

His hands could feel how her ribs were beginning to expand and contract more rapidly. "Breathe, Chloe. Slowly. In and out."

"Lucifer." Her voice shook, it almost sounded like she was crying. Bollocks.

Sagging a little his wings came to rest on the ground, like a great pathetic bird. His hands remained firm on her waist, the fact that she hadn't pushed them away yet the only piece of hope he could find that their entire partnership wasn't over.

Violently flinching as her own hand unexpectedly came down to touch the arch of his left wing, he cursed himself as her hands jumped away again. He now had sight of her face and couldn't look away again.

It was clear to see she was shocked, her skin slightly paler than usual. Her eyes were wide and tearing up, although he was thankful her cheeks were still dry.

"Chloe." He said gently, his hands cautiously moving from her hips to her hands. Taking them lightly within his own he brought her hand back to his wing, softly placing it down on the feathers.

Her mouth, which had fallen slightly open, closed for a moment before she licked her dry lips. Glancing at his eyes one more time, Chloe stepped forward a fraction and let her hand sink into the white down.

With a shaky breath she attempted some words. "I thought you were the devil?"

"I am." Lucifer said, unable to stop preening as her hands brushed out the unruly feathers. "You saw my eyes once. When Jimmy shot you? I know you did. Since my kidnapping however, I've lost them. And I got my wings back."

Chloe's voice was still dazed as she continued. "You cut them off."

"Yes. They grew right back. Unlike last time." He added.

"They're beautiful."

Lucifer's hold of her left hand tightened.

Chloe suddenly started to blink rapidly. "Crap. God's real?"

"'Fraid so."

"And you're the Devil?"

"Yup."

"So your Mom?"

"A goddess. Who I've since banished to another plane."

"Right. Amenadiel?" Chloe continued, her breathing picking up again.

"Angel. Although he's on the naughty step at the movement."

"Maze?"

"Demon."

Her eyebrows lifted. "My roommate's a demon?"

"And you kissed the Devil." He said, trying to give her his usual smirk.

"Why didn't you show me this in the precinct?"

"Well at the time I was unaware my eyes, and face, no longer...transformed. I was a bit taken aback." Lucifer said, not quite ready to admit how scared he was until Chloe calmed down. She was still breathing too quickly. "It's quite inconvenient, having wings, really. It's so much harder to scare people with big, fluffy wings than with a burnt face and hell fire burning in your eyes. I'll really have to step up my game if I'm going to keep scaring people into confessing."

"Why didn't you show me sooner?"

"Well I've been telling you I'm the devil since we first met."

A little bit of her came back as she fixed him a pointed look. "You know what I mean. No one's going to believe a man saying he's the devil. But you could have proved it."

"Chloe you need to take a slow breath." Lucifer said instead.

Her eyes narrowed further, she was more than aware that he was changing the subject. But breathing was obviously going to win out this time, as she focused on sucking in a mouthful of air instead of grilling him further.

Standing up, and trying to repress a shudder as Chloe's hand trailed down his wing and continued to rest there, he tried to move them towards the couch. His wings were still, frustratingly, throwing off his balance but he managed to move them forward.

Although he was rather enjoying the sensation of Chloe unconsciously straightening his feathers, loath as he was to admit enjoying anything those blasted wings provided, they weren't exactly something he could comfortably sit with. Concentrating for a moment he managed to fold them back and took a seat beside her, not failing to notice her hand lingering in the air for a moment as if continuing to seek his wings out.

His shirt was still in a pile by the elevator but he didn't care. Leaning back he slung an arm over the back of the sofa, watching Chloe intently as she sat on the edge. Her breathing had thankfully started to even out but she was still pale.

Lucifer could only sit quietly for a moment before the entire situation threatened to send him mad.

"I don't suppose I can offer you any paella?" He asked, hoping to elicit a smile and get back some sense of normalcy between them. After all, he was only Lucifer Morningstar. Her friendly local devil.

Chloe looked at him blankly.

No, Lucifer thought with a repressed sigh. Things wouldn't be normal again.

/ / /

Let me know what you think - am I the only one in the 'Chloe needs an outburst because no one can be this forgiving' camp? And do you want Chloe to see the wings in the show or Lucifer's devil face?  
I left this as an open ending but if enough of you want a third chapter I'll consider it, I already have a few ideas. Feel free to check out my other Lucifer works on here, they have a much happier ending than this one :D Sorry the angst kinda got away from me! Have a good night everyone 3 


	3. Man of the World

Title song by Fleetwood Mac. Chloe and Lucifer continue their conversation. Chloe's POV. So sorry for the delay - I've been under the weather. It's a long chapter though, so I hope it excuses the wait!

/ / /

Chloe vaguely felt Lucifer shuffle beside her, but her mind was too focused on keeping her breathing even to think much about it.

Her partner was the Devil. The actual Devil. And he had wings. Huge, unbelievable, insanely gorgeous wings. And her roommate was a demon, who used to date an angel. And Charlotte Richards is Lucifer's Mom? That part didn't seem right but then none of it really seemed right. It also didn't seem to be right just sitting there, hanging out in the Devil's apartment with the half-naked Devil lounging next to her.

But then what else should she be doing?

Maybe having an existential crisis, she considered idly as she continued to stare blankly into space.

She should go back to Trixie. And Maze - the demon currently watching her only child. No, the demon she had begged to watch her child. Wow, hindsight was a bitch.

Besides. Leaving now wasn't going to fix anything. They had so many problems - even more problems than Chloe thought they had half an hour ago - and pretending those problems didn't exist like they'd done before hadn't helped them at all.

There was no lying about it. No matter how much Lucifer had prepared her - telling her over and over that he was the Devil, the signs, seeing him throw people across rooms, people driven insane when he'd never touched them - she was still...overwhelmed. She wasn't terrified, she'd known Lucifer too long to feel like that. But she was far from feeling safe.

She knew he could hurt her, emotionally at least. And while she knew if they were on a case she could trust him to have her back, she didn't trust him completely. Not anymore.

"I don't suppose I can offer you any paella?" Lucifer asked, his voice intruding.

Chloe turned to look at him blankly. She had half a mind to start yelling again that paella wasn't enough to solve their problems, but her mind was too muddled to even think of what to say. In fact she wouldn't have said anything and just resumed looking at nothing again if it hadn't been for the expression that she'd briefly seen cross Lucifer's face.

"Are you okay?" She heard herself ask weakly before she could consider it.

"Me?" Lucifer asked sharply, leaning forward slightly. "I'm not the one who's just figured out that Heaven and Hell exist, Detective." He shook his head. "I should have prepared you more, like in the station. Maybe I should have poured some scotch first."

Chloe rolled her eyes. "Okay, getting drunk would not have helped me."

"I wasn't talking about you." Lucifer replied, looking rather longingly over at his bar. Nevertheless he remained by her side.

His proximity suddenly dawned on her, she could feel the heat radiating off of him, warming her side. He always did run hot - was that a Devil thing?

"See something you like, Detective?" Lucifer asked as Chloe looked him over, waggling his eyebrows.

Ignoring him, Chloe brushed a stray bit of hair from her eyes as she resisted the urge to roll them again.

She resumed looking blankly at the wall ahead of her again for a few minutes, Lucifer remaining quiet and, this time, still.

"What do we even do now!" Chloe suddenly exclaimed, making Lucifer jump slightly at the sudden outburst.

"Excuse me?"

Turning to look at him again, Chloe waved her arms helplessly. "What do we do? Am I just meant to stay sitting here forever? You've obviously been planning to tell me for a while now - you must have a plan!"

Lucifer blinked slowly. "Erm...well. When I told Linda that's pretty much what she did - just sat and stared. And then I just...let Maze bring her around."

Chloe's eyes narrowed. "Linda knows you're the Devil?"

"Yes."

"Linda knew before me? Your partner?"

He had the decency to look a little sheepish. "I had to. She's my therapist - she thought I was crazy!"

"Have you looked around lately? We all think you're crazy!" Chloe said, huffing at the thought of her two friends knowing about this - and leaving her in the dark.

Lucifer sat quietly, looking somewhat dumbfounded so Chloe continued.

"And how could you not have some sort of plan if you've already gone through telling someone that you're the Devil?"

He scowled. "Well to be honest, Detective, I had rather imagined after telling you all I would be left with was a Chloe shaped hole in the wall."

"You thought I was going to run away?" Chloe asked, her irritation continuing to grow. It was good in a way. Being angry felt better than being completely lost. "I'm not the one with the MIA record as long as my arm, Lucifer."

"Because," Lucifer started defensively, "you already made it clear that you didn't believe in a God. Whereas Linda did - does. I figured it must make it additionally shocking for you. Coupled with the fact that you now know that a demon is babysitting your offspring, I thought you'd be running off to ensure your daughter's safety."

"Maze would never hurt Trixie." Chloe said confidently. Their bond - especially now that they all lived together - had grown impressively strong. Trixie adored Maze, and Chloe was aware that the feeling was mutual. Even if her roommate wouldn't voice that sentiment aloud.

"And then what little I had prepared was based on you seeing my Devil form - not wings. Trust me," Lucifer grumbled, "seeing hellfire burn before you is a lot more intimidating than fluffy wings. If I went back to Hell now I'd be a laughing stock."

Chloe was starting to lose her anger now, slowly slipping back into disbelief, which wouldn't do. The pair of them needed to talk. There was just too much hurt for Chloe to sit there saying nothing. "Why aren't you?"

"Why aren't I what?" Lucifer asked, his eyebrow raising as Chloe slipped off the couch. She had the feeling pacing would soon need to factor in.

"Why aren't you in Hell? I mean - what are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be...I don't know - punishing the guilty, keeping all the evil people in order - whatever it is the Devil does? Why are you in LA solving crimes and, and running a nightclub?"

Thinking about the whole thing, Lucifer's life seemed even more ridiculous to her now. She used to think of him as her partner, splitting his time between crusading against crime and committing nightly debauchery, all the while hiding behind a ridiculous persona of being the Devil. But now?

The Devil ups and leaves Hell to open a nightclub - okay, maybe makes sense that that's what he'd do - but then becomes a police consultant? How could he sit around catching a couple of criminals when his actual job was to punish the - hundreds, thousands, millions - of souls in Hell who had committed the purest acts of evil?

Not to mention that he then tries to have a relationship with a, a - what was she in the scheme of Heaven and Hell - an insignificant mortal? No wonder he ran away. She was almost glad of it now. How insane - not only to be in a relationship with a supernatural being, but also one that she thought was human? How had Lucifer thought that they could have any sort of romantic relationship with a lie that big sitting under them?

"Hell's not exactly a nice place to spend eternity, Detective."

"But it's your job - your responsibility." Chloe reasoned, things slowly clicking into place. "That's why Amenadiel came here - to make you go back?"

"Yes," he said slowly, "although he's had a slight change of heart since. I can't seem to shake him now."

"But Maze wants to go back?"

"She did - I'm not so sure anymore." Lucifer frowned. If he wasn't sure of the answer, Chloe couldn't be sure either. Especially after her time with Rivers. It seemed to Chloe that the longer the pair stayed on Earth the more human they seemed to be getting. Chloe couldn't imagine the bartender she'd first met doing half the things she'd done this year. Babysitting included.

"And you want to stay?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

Lucifer blinked. "I would have thought why would be fairly obvious. I know you're not exactly a church going, God fearing, Jesus loving Christian but you must know something about Hell."

"I mean why here?" Chloe clarified. She knew what Hell was supposed to be like - suffering, torment, punishment, demons, hellfire, yada yada - but what was keeping him in LA? "If you've been trapped in one place for," she waved her hand.

"Eons."

"Right, eons." Not at all a weird thing to consider, Chloe thought finally coming to stand still. "Well, why are you still in LA after five years? Shouldn't you be travelling all over the place?"

"Lux is here."

"You're loaded - you could open hundreds of Lux's all over the world."

"I like LA. It's...freedom. You can do anything here. The climate is good - warm but not stifling like down there - there's lots of people to make deals with. I like it here."

"And becoming a police consultant?" Chloe pressed on, genuinely curious how Lucifer could find her line of work - her life - of any interest in the schemes of what he must know.

Lucifer shrugged. "It was interesting, it allowed me to enjoy my freedom while still doing what I enjoy. Punishing the guilty." He explained unnecessarily. Like Chloe hadn't listened to any of his many rants about his desire to punish evil. "And you certainly proved to be a fascinating little mystery. How could I resist." Lucifer finished happily. "Well, I must say Detective you are taking things much better than I had originally hoped for. Why don't we celebrate by eating our cold lunch."

Lucifer started to stand but Chloe's hand flew out to stop him, landing on his bare shoulder before quickly jumping back. "Wait."

"Honestly, Detective. I went to all that trouble of cooking, you don't honestly mean for us to waste it?"

"How was I a mystery?" Chloe frowned, crossing her arms. "You mean because your whole 'what do you desire' bit doesn't work on me?"

"Not to mention your refusal to have sex with me." Lucifer added glumly, looking resigned to staying on the couch as he leaned back again.

Refusing to go down that topic of conversation just yet, a still very sore point for her, Chloe focused on his weird mind voodoo. Because all of a sudden it occurred to her that it didn't work on her. It never had, not even when they'd kissed. And now she knew that he was the Devil and it wasn't a trick and it was actually, well she still wasn't one hundred percent sure what it was but it seemed like, some sort of power. Which didn't work on her. And only her, because Chloe had seen it work effectively on every other person that they'd met.

"Why doesn't it work on me?"

"That is the question." Lucifer answered, but something shifted in his eyes.

"I thought you were promising to tell me the truth now." Chloe said evenly.

"I don't know why my powers don't work on you." He answered. It still wasn't the whole truth, Chloe knew Lucifer too well to know that he'd willingly entrust her with that. It was that knowledge, along with a mountain of hurt, that had sent her for the door.

She repeated what she said when she'd first tried to leave his apartment. It broke her a little to have to say it again, just when she had started to believe she would finally be getting some answers. "You know for someone who once told me he never lies, you sure do have a problem with telling the truth."

Lucifer's blanched. "I don't know the whole truth yet - I only have guesses. I didn't want to...I didn't want any speculation to cause you pain, only for what I thought to be wrong. I said I don't want to hurt you anymore and I mean it - and I want you to know the truth. The truth about Charlotte, and Candy, and why you keep nearly dying - all of it." He said solemnly.

His statement was about the only thing keeping her there and not flying off toward the elevator again.

"I still want to know." She said quietly. "Even if it is just a guess."

"Amenadiel," Lucifer began, his hand reaching out to pull her down on the couch beside him before hastily letting go. Chloe could tell he didn't want to tell her, which only served to make her more anxious. "Well, I found out from my Mother actually."

"Charlotte Richards?"

"Well, no. My Mother escaped Hell and took over Charlotte's corpse - she'd very recently been murdered."

Chloe looked him over. "Did you..."

"No," he grinned, though not as widely as usual, "this is God given. Anyway, my Mother's spirit inhabited Charlotte's body. Obviously I couldn't tell anyone she was my Mother, so Charlotte told you the lie about being my step-Mom."

"Wait, I saw Charlotte the other week..."

"I sent my Mother to another dimension - when we were on the beach." The beach, Chloe thought dumbly. It was both amazing and infuriating how much had apparently gone on right under her nose. "Enough energy was left to bring Charlotte Richards back to life. That's why she doesn't remember anything."

Chloe spared enough thought to feel a bit of sympathy for Dan who just thought Charlotte was pretending not to know him, before the bigger picture pressed at her. "So your Mother told you what about me?"

Lucifer sighed. "Well it seemed that a few decades ago Amenadiel was sent by my Father to Earth to perform a miracle." He paused as if waiting for her to make some sort of connection.

"Okay."

"To bless a couple who were having trouble conceiving..." He prompted.

"Oh." Chloe blinked, her hand slowly moving to touch her chest. "Me?"

"Yes."

"So, I'm a..."

"Miracle."

"Huh."

"Yep." Lucifer nodded as Chloe's attention started to waver again. That was certainly something to wrap her head around. "And that's why your powers don't work on me?"

"Perhaps. And why I become mortal around you."

"Mortal?"

"Yes. Why I can get shot, bleed, die..."

That was why he was so convinced he couldn't be hurt around her at first, Chloe realised. He really was bulletproof. Just not around her. Which of course raised a whole new question.

"So why would you stay with me?"

It wasn't a lie or sadness in his eyes this time. It looked more like fear.

"You know, I think we've had enough truth bombs for one day. Don't want to overdo it - you might be taking things well so far, but if we do this much longer you might have a heart attack. And I think I've already used up all my favours to keep you alive." Lucifer chuckled half-heartedly.

Chloe frowned again - she was going to get wrinkles at this rate. She frowned, not just because he was trying to dodge another question, but also because of the new piece of information he'd just inadvertently dropped. It would be amusing if she wasn't starting to comprehend just how much Lucifer had been keeping from her. Chloe knew she had been in the dark - she just hadn't realised how deep in the dark she'd been. How many things was he keeping from her? How many things would he continue to keep from her unless she could think to ask the right questions?

"To keep me alive? When?" She started thinking. He'd certainly protected her during their cases.

"Oh. Well, you know how you like to get in scrapes. Remember when I carried you out of that burning building. Very heroic, don't you think?"

"That's not what you meant. Tell me now or I walk out of here." She said firmly, levelling a stern glare at Lucifer.

She still wasn't sure if she'd leave once she got all of her answers. Now she was getting the truth things seemed...repairable. Yet at the same time, some of those truths were starting to convince her that it might be best to leave.

"When you were poisoned, I may have...gone to Hell for the antidote. Enlisting the help of Linda and Mazikeen to bring me back, of course."

That's how he...but he never wanted to return.

The idea of leaving just got a little harder as Chloe thought over what had happened after she was poisoned, considering it in a new light. His frantic terror. His promise to help her. He would literally die to save her life.

"Lucifer..." Chloe said softly. "You did that?"

"Of course, Detective."

If she didn't remember so keenly what he'd done right after saving her life, she might have been tempted to lean in and kiss him.

"Is that...is what you saw down there what made you leave L.A.? Or was it because you found out that I was a 'miracle'?"

Lucifer hesitated before looking down at the jacket still held loosely in one of Chloe's hands. Evidently the threat of her leaving was still an effective one to use, Chloe thought idly as he hesitated to answer.

"A mixture of the two."

"When you came to my apartment, you said something about playing games. Is that, is that because you found out I was a miracle? And you thought that I knew?"

Lucifer looked a little taken aback. Chloe took a small bit of pride in piecing these things together. She was a Detective for a reason.

"Yes I did."

"And that's why you once checked my back for wings. You thought I was something...not a human." Chloe finished, not really sure what to characterise Lucifer and his family as.

"Yes."

Not exactly the forthcoming responses she'd been hoping for. "And that worried you because..."

"It occurred to me that you may have been put in my path by my Father. If you were purposefully created by him it suggests he has a plan for me, and that you play some part in that."

"And that made you angry?"

Lucifer's brow deepened, darkening his eyes. "My Father always has a plan. My wings growing back is obviously another part of it, and this Sinnerman must be working for him in some capacity. And now I know that you play into it. Somehow."

"So that's why you left? To get away from me - before your Father could use me and I could hurt you." Chloe reasoned, saddened by the thought. She wouldn't want to hurt Lucifer, but maybe how she felt now was part of this plan. Honestly the thought of this omnipotent, omniscient being controlling her entire life was kinda creepy - and overwhelming - to consider. Was any action her own? Had she ever made a decision or was it a larger hand at play?

"No." Lucifer said, cutting through her existentialism. "I left to protect you, Detective. My Father has already made it plain that he intends to use you to get me to bend to his will. He's done it before when he sent my brother."

"Amenadiel?"

"No, my younger brother. Uriel."

"I've never met him, right?"

For a brief second Chloe could almost imagine what Lucifer looked like in his Devil form, as a wave of anger crossed his face before it was hastily replaced with self-loathing. His quick changes in mood were starting to give her whiplash. "Actually you have."

"When?"

"When he made your car crash."

Chloe sighed, remembering this conversation. "Lucifer, I've told you before. That was an accident."

Lucifer levelled her a look. "Accidents are what Uriel specialises in. He could drop a piece of gum on the floor and cause a building to collapse. I assure you, he caused your crash. He told me himself."

"Your brother tried to kill me?"

"And continued to threaten to do so in order to get me to return Mum to Hell."

"So that's why you sent her back?"

"No, I did that of my own accord." Lucifer said stiffly. "Uriel died before she returned."

"Died? But I thought..."

Lucifer moved past her on the couch and crossed over to his bar. He poured himself a healthy measure of scotch before holding up the bottle to her. She shook her head at the offer, deciding to let this one topic drop.

"So you left to protect me, and to stop your Father from manipulating you?"

"Which obviously didn't work." Lucifer said unhappily, taking a light sip of his drink.

"So why did you come back?" Chloe asked hesitantly, knowing the next part of the story involved a perky, bubbly, blonde 'exotic dancer'.

"I knew my Mother needed to go back to Hell." His face cleared a little, almost like he was happy. "She'd lied, manipulated. Killed. And I found the answer to my problems in Vegas."

Please don't say it, Chloe silently willed.

"Candy." Lucifer beamed.

He must have seen her shoulders drop slightly because he suddenly sobered. "No, it's quite alright. You see, I can explain now that you know. She was part of my plan."

"Plan?"

"To find out why my Mother had come to Earth. Escaping Hell isn't easy you know. And I didn't buy her whole 'I want to reunite my family' spiel. Well, it wasn't the only reason anyway."

"And, Candy, played into this how?" Chloe asked reluctantly.

"When we first met I saved her life - not important to the story," Lucifer said as Chloe opened her mouth, waving on, "and as a favour she married me and posed as my 'ditzy bimbo' wife in order to learn my Mother's plan. She was rather invaluable. And after she got into my Mother's head we got the marriage annulled."

Chloe blinked, torn between happiness and pure outrage. "And you couldn't tell me the marriage wasn't real..."

"Because that would involve you knowing about Charlotte's true identity."

"Right." Chloe thought dully.

"Anyway - I think that's you just about caught up with everything. Now, Detective. How about some food. I'm worried about you taking all of this in on an empty stomach. I don't need you passing out on me again." Lucifer said, tossing back the rest of his drink while Chloe started staring off into space again.

He unexpectedly took hold of her wrist, gently pulling her up and towards the kitchen.

"Why didn't you really tell me about Candy?" Chloe said softly as they walked through the penthouse. She had half a mind to tell him that she didn't need dragging to the kitchen but she found his touch somewhat calming. It made the whole insane conversation seem a little more real.

"I couldn't risk anyone knowing it wasn't real."

"You didn't want your family to know. But why couldn't I?"

Lucifer pulled her over to a chair before moving to sit opposite her, his head down. "I still had no idea if my Father was...if you were part of a plan. It wasn't wise."

"And because you knew it would make me not want to - be with you, anymore. You were pushing me away." Chloe said sadly, sitting in her chair numbly. "It makes sense. I mean - it would be a stupid thing to do. Us. Especially if I still thought you were...human. No, I'm glad it didn't work out."

She pulled her plate forward and piled it up with food she didn't want. Chloe didn't chance looking at Lucifer's face, she didn't want to see any pity. He knew that he'd hurt her and now she understood why. Understanding took some of the sting away, and knowing the truth about who he was showed her how impractical a relationship with him was.

She could only ever put him in danger. If she were really being sensible she should live up to her previous threat and never see him again. Her presence made him mortal - and from what he had told her it seemed like there were plenty of people ready to take advantage of that. Including this new threat of the 'sinner man'. Pierce could work with Lucifer, she'd work with Dan. They could see each other on occasion, she told herself.

Chloe didn't even realise Lucifer was trying to say something until he suddenly raised his voice.

"You're glad I left?"

Trying to push away the knot in her stomach, Chloe hummed in agreement around a mouthful of cold food. Swallowing she reached for the glass of wine Lucifer had poured out earlier and took a grateful sip. "I mean, could you imagine how much of a disaster it would have been? Having a relationship with this big of a lie?"

Lucifer looked at her guardedly, not touching anything in front of him despite it being at his insistence that they eat.

She continued uncomfortably, unsettled by his silence. "I still can't understand why you're even here. If I make you mortal shouldn't you be staying away from me?"

"I can't quite seem to manage it." He said softly as Chloe took another bite. She was vaguely aware of what she was tasting but couldn't quite concentrate on it enough to focus on what dish she'd selected. Her fingers twitched to go for her wine glass again but she was right earlier, getting drunk really wouldn't help them with this.

Chloe couldn't think of how to respond to him. They couldn't have a relationship, she wasn't even sure they could still be partners. Everything that had passed between them in the few hours she'd been at Lux didn't feel real. It was almost like they were wrapped in some sort of limbo.

Decisions would have to be made once she left, they'd have to choose how to proceed with each other.

The idea of him being the Devil was starting to settle with her. Maybe it was because she hadn't seen him in his hell form, but she still felt like she was sat with Lucifer. And her frustration had cleared now that she knew there had been a reason for his lies.

At the same time, however, Chloe knew they couldn't go back to how things had been. She should leave, but she couldn't deny the fact that she didn't want to.

"My family will keep trying to hurt you." Lucifer spoke up. "I know you thought I was being paranoid about it, but I hope you realise now that they see you as my Achilles' heel, so to speak."

Chloe nodded. Whatever it was about her was making him weak - she just couldn't understand why he would stay. "I do. It's not safe for you to be mortal."

She didn't see Lucifer frown, instead staring down at her food. "You do make me mortal. But that's not the only way they can use you against me. Uriel could hurt me, he had a blade that kills immortals. What he used was you - he threatened to kill you in order to make me work against Mum. I killed him to protect you."

There may have been a few minutes where Chloe's brain completely shut down at the revelation. She'd taken in so much information, learned so much, but the idea of Lucifer - her Lucifer - killing someone, his brother at that - it was the first thing he'd told her since showing Chloe his wings that she struggled to accept as reality.

"You killed someone." Chloe said quietly.

"Relax, Detective. I don't think I can be charged for killing a supernatural being." Lucifer said, trying to make his voice light. Chloe didn't buy it - she could hear the guilt.

"How could you - I mean...Heaven?"

Lucifer quickly answered her. "The blade he had, I used it against him. It obliterates. There is no afterlife."

"And you killed him, to protect me?"

A weight bloomed in her chest. She was torn between condemnation, fear, and a surge of guilt. While she wrestled with the idea that Lucifer had actually killed someone, something she had never thought he was capable of, she also had to live with the notion that he'd been driven to do it because of her.

"I'd do a lot to protect you, Detective." Lucifer said thickly. "Although I'd understand if you chose to leave."

"I don't want to." Chloe said, the words out of her mouth before she even fully thought it. "But, I worry. How we can - what we should do now?"

Her words echoed what she'd complained about before, and Lucifer gave her a wry grin.

Dropping her fork on the plate, Chloe stood up from her chair. Lucifer's grin faded quickly and he stood up, obviously expecting her to walk out.

Hesitantly, Chloe moved over to his side of the table.

"I'm still not done, you know. Processing. Especially about your brother." She said honestly. Chloe wasn't sure she'd ever be done. And she certainly wasn't letting Uriel drop - as a cop she knew about killing to protect others. But he'd killed his own brother. That had to be something they talked about.

"That's to be expected." Lucifer said, his eyes worrying over her. "It took Linda a while too. Our first few sessions - after - she talked more than I did."

Chloe gave him a hesitant smile. "Well, if Linda can handle it. I think I can too. After all...you have saved my life quite a few times now."

Lucifer exhaled, shoulders drooping and his eyes shutting. "You would seem to owe me."

He jolted as she unexpectedly and swiftly moved into his arms, cheek pressing against his bare chest. It wasn't romantic, not like the one they had shared before everything went to ruin. But it was the only thing Chloe could think of to show him that she was still going to be there. And to give them both hope that things would be alright.

Slowly his arms came down to rest on her shoulders, pulling her slightly closer.

Chloe's eyes closed, relaxing for the first time since she arrived at Lux. Actually this might be the calmest she'd been since she'd walked into the penthouse and saw Lucifer was gone.

Something suddenly brushed against her hands and she jerked back to find Lucifer's wings fully extended again.

"Still haven't quite got that under control."

/ / /

Couldn't resist that ending - I found it so funny in the show when Lucifer's wings accidentally pop out :D I hope you enjoyed the chapter and the whole story! I'm starting the NaNoWriMo tomorrow so I'll be leaving fanfiction for the next month. Please feel free to check out my other fanfics or my original works (under the same profile name on Inkitt). Happy Halloween folks, and thank you for all your lovely comments and kudos! 3 


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